[Not Applicable]
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for measuring a golfer""s launch parameters during a golf swing. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and method for measuring club head information and golf ball information before and after impact of the golf club with the golf ball.
2. Description of the Related Art
For over twenty-five years, high speed camera technology has been used for gathering information on a golfer""s swing. The information has varied from simple club head speed to the spin of the golf ball after impact with a certain golf club. Over the years, this information has fostered numerous improvements in golf clubs and golf balls, and assisted golfers in choosing golf clubs and golf balls that improve their game. Additionally, systems incorporating such high speed camera technology have been used in teaching golfers how to improve their swing when using a given golf club.
An example of such a system is U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,259 to Lynch et al., for a Method Of Matching Golfer With Golf Ball, Golf Club, Or Style Of Play, which was filed in 1975. Lynch discloses a system that provides golf ball launch measurements through use of a shuttered camera that is activated when a club head breaks a beam of light that activates the flashing of a light source to provide stop action of the club head and golf ball on a camera film. The golf ball launch measurements retrieved by the Lynch system include initial velocity, initial spin velocity and launch angle.
Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,387 to Sullivan, et al., for a Golf Club Impact And Golf Ball Launching Monitoring System, which was filed in 1977. Sullivan discloses a system that not only provides golf ball launch measurements, it also provides measurements on the golf club.
Yet another example is a family of patents to Gobush et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,383 filed on Sep. 30, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,463 filed on Feb. 24, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,719 filed on Aug. 1, 1995; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,823 filed on Nov. 18, 1996. This family of patents discloses a system that has two cameras angled toward each other, a golf ball with reflective markers, a golf club with reflective markers thereon and a computer. The system allows for measurement of the golf club or golf ball separately, based on the plotting of points.
Yet another example is U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,483 for a Method Of Measuring Motion Of A Golf Ball. The patent discloses a system that uses three cameras, an optical sensor means, and strobes to obtain golf club and golf ball information.
Although the prior art has disclosed many useful systems, the prior art has failed to disclose a system that is capable of individualizing the calculations based on each individual golfer in order to provide information on the swing of the golfer and the launch of the golf ball subsequent to impact with the golf club. Further, the prior art has failed to disclose a system that allows for simultaneous imaging and analysis of the pre-impact golf club and post impact golf ball.
The present invention provides a method and system for capturing and analyzing golf club information and golf ball information during and after a golfer""s swing is disclosed herein. The golf club information includes golf club head orientation, golf club head velocity, and golf club spin. The golf club head orientation includes dynamic lie, loft and face angle of the golf club head. The golf club head velocity includes path of the golf club head and attack of the golf club head. The golf ball information includes golf ball velocity, golf ball launch angle, golf ball side angle, golf ball speed and golf ball orientation. The golf ball orientation includes the true spin of the golf ball, and the tilt axis of the golf ball which entails the back spin and the side spin of the golf ball.
One aspect of the present invention is a method for simultaneously measuring the golf club properties and the golf ball properties during a golfer""s striking of a golf ball. The method begins with the swinging of a golf club toward a teed golf ball. Next, a detector is activated as the golf club is swung toward the teed golf ball. The detector transmits an estimated golf club head speed to an imaging system. The imaging system capable of compiling a plurality of exposures to generate a frame. Next, a first plurality of exposures of the golf club head are taken prior to the golf club head impacting the teed golf ball. The first plurality of exposures have a first time interval period between exposures. Next, the teed golf ball is struck with the golf club. Next, a second plurality of exposures of the golf ball are taken after the golf ball has been struck by the golf club head. The second plurality of exposures has a second time interval between exposures. The second time interval is different than the first time interval. A frame is generated that includes the first plurality of exposures of the golf club head prior to impact with the teed golf ball and the second plurality of exposures of the golf ball after impact with the golf club head. The method provides measurements of the golf club head and of the launched golf ball.
The first time interval for the first plurality of exposures may be less than second time interval for the second plurality of exposures. The first time interval for the first plurality of exposures may range from 750 microseconds to 2000 microseconds, and the second time interval for the second plurality of exposures may be greater than the first time interval. The imaging system of the method preferably includes a first camera and a second camera. Each frame preferably includes at least three exposures of the first plurality of exposures, and at least three exposures of the second plurality of exposures. The measurements of the golf club include golf club head orientation, golf club head spin and golf club head velocity, and the measurements of the golf ball include the golf ball velocity, the golf ball launch angle, the golf ball side angle, the golf ball orientation (spin) and the golf ball speed. The estimated golf club head speed is utilized to determine the first time interval of the first plurality of exposures and the second time interval of the second plurality of exposures. The method preferably uses a laser to activate the detector as the golf club is swung toward the teed golf ball.
Another aspect of the present invention is a system for simultaneously measuring the golf club properties and the golf ball properties during a golfer""s striking of a golf ball. The system includes a pair of cameras, a golf club, a teed golf ball, a detector, a calculating means and an analysis means. The first and second cameras each have a lens focused toward a predetermined field of view. The golf club has at least one light contrasting area, and preferably three light contrasting areas. The teed golf ball is within the predetermined field of view. The detector is disposed prior to the teed golf ball along a path of a golf club swing, and it is capable of estimating the golf club speed. The calculating means calculates a first time interval between a first plurality of exposures of the golf club and a second time interval between a second plurality of exposures of the launched golf ball based on the estimated golf club speed. The analysis means determines the golf club swing properties and golf ball launch properties based on an image frame generated by the first and second cameras which includes the first plurality of exposures and the second plurality of exposures.
Another aspect of the present invention is another method for simultaneously measuring the golf club properties and the golf ball properties during a golfer""s striking of a golf ball. The method begins with the swinging of a golf club toward a teed golf ball. Next, a detector is triggered as the golf club is swung toward the teed golf ball. The detector transmits an estimated golf club head speed to an imaging system. The imaging system capable of compiling a plurality of exposures to generate a frame. Next, a first plurality of exposures of the golf club head are taken prior to the golf club head impacting the teed golf ball. Each of the first plurality of exposures has a first exposure intensity. Next, the teed golf ball is struck with the golf club. Next, a second plurality of exposures of the golf ball are taken after the golf ball has been struck by the golf club head. Each of the second plurality of exposures has a second exposure intensity. The second exposure intensity is different than the first exposure intensity. A frame is generated that includes the first plurality of exposures of the golf club head prior to impact with the teed golf ball and the second plurality of exposures of the golf ball after impact with the golf club head. The method provides measurements of the golf club head and of the launched golf ball.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is another method for simultaneously measuring the golf club properties and the golf ball properties during a golfer""s striking of a golf ball. The method begins with the swinging of a golf club toward a teed golf ball. Next, a detector is activated as the golf club is swung toward the teed golf ball. The detector transmits an estimated golf club head speed to an imaging system. The imaging system capable of compiling a plurality of exposures to generate a frame. Next, a first plurality of exposures of the golf club head are taken prior to the golf club head impacting the teed golf ball. Each of the first plurality of exposures has a first time interval. Next, the teed golf ball is struck with the golf club. Next, a second plurality of exposures of the golf ball are taken after the golf ball has been struck by the golf club head. Each of the second plurality of exposures has a second time interval. The second time interval is greater than the first time interval. A frame is generated that includes the first plurality of exposures of the golf club head prior to impact with the teed golf ball and the second plurality of exposures of the golf ball after impact with the golf club head. The method provides measurements of the golf club head and of the launched golf ball.
Having briefly described the present invention, the above and further objects, features and advantages thereof will be recognized by those skilled in the pertinent art from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.